


Underground: The Battle for Mewni Creek

by TooryaTigress



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: Betrayal, Conspiracy, Fantastic Racism, Friendship/Love, Love, Magic, Memories, Memory Loss, Monsters, Multi, Plot Twists, Politics, Refugees, Self-Discovery, Spiritual, Travel, Underground, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-06-25 12:46:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19746046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooryaTigress/pseuds/TooryaTigress
Summary: In Mewni Creek, conflict looms large. Monsters and humans have been cleaved together, but harmony, if ever existed, disappeared a long time ago. Monsters flee from the widespread racism fueled by Mina Loveberry... and a fearsome enemy lurking in the dark.Fortunately, Star and Marco have been making the most of their love... which is not much, with everyone blaming them for forcing them to live with strange, menacing creatures that break havoc for all sorts of reasons. And Tom seems to have vanished into thin air...





	1. A Fine Day in Mewni Creek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A butterfly was fluttering about in a random garden in Mewni Creek. It was nice to fly in abandonment, looking for fresh flowers bathed in dew before any strange being could snatch it and end off its existence.
> 
> The Sun was rising, crisp and magnificent as a hot pancake on a horizon streaked in pink dawn sauce. Nothing could go wrong in such an early hour... 
> 
> Until a massive Bigfoot-like truck jumped over the hedge and scared the butterfly away.

It was not seven in the morning yet, and Star and Marco were already headed for the monster truck graveyard. But nobody could blame them: the early bird catches the worm, and the early driver catches the spare part. That is why they had to rush, cutting through gardens and highways if possible.

And, why not? Having as much fun as possible. They did not know when they would have another chance to have a good time, so they had to make the most.

"Whopeeee!", screamed Star with joy.

"Yaaaay...", exclaimed Marco, clenching to the overhead handle of his seat for safety while holding his bike helmet on the other.

"Those spare parts are ours!!!", blurted out Star as she steered and speeded up.

"Yaaay...", muttered Marco as his face gradually changed colour and his teeth clenched as tight as his hand.

The truck graveyard was just straight at the end of the road, and almost everybody was still at home. Nobody dared break the curfew until the sirens blared at 7.15 every morning, so they had no time to lose.

"The police may get us, this is not right, we can't afford more curfew tickets anymore...", thought Marco, trying to focus on other things to avoid screaming in terror.

"We'll be the first, Marco! Those spare parts will be ours! We'll make killings with them! We'll get a new mattress for our bed, and new tiles for the roof, and a fan for your parents, and..."

And Star could not add any more wishes to her list, since a monster squad jumped on his truck hood from out of who-knows-where.

"AAAAAAH!", Star and Marco screamed.

Marco's knuckles became pale as he held the overhead handle with even more strength. 

Star gave the raider monsters a fierce, piercing look that would have killed them instantly, had she got any control of her magic. 

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!", Star yelled. She set foot on the gas pedal and let the engine loose. Speed would take care of that pesky gang of assaulters.

CRASH!!

What made monsters out of their way was an impact against a wall, which made them fly in the air... 

And Marco be pulled forward, hitting his face and chest on the binnacle in the process. 

Star panted as smoke came out of the car hood and the monsters' wicked cackle was heard outside.

"Those spare parts are ours, you sucker!", they shouted as they ran away.

"WE'LL GET YOU SOONER OR LATER!", Star cried out before realizing where she was.

"Marco!", she exclaimed.

She tried to unfasten Marco's seat belt, until she remembered the truck did not have any, apart from that of the driver seat. 

"Uuuungh...", he cried in pain, as he took his hands to his chest and stomach.

"Marco, are you OK?"

"Yeah, nothing to worry about...", he said with a smirk. His lower lip was broken and blood came out of his nose, but apart from that he was fine...

But for an intense pain in his stomach. All the impacts he received seemed to hurt there lately, no matter where he got them. He should have a medical check-up soon...

Marco looked into Star's eyes and tried to smile.

"I think I won't be able to kiss you tonight...", he said.

"Oh, Marco, thanks corn you're alright...! But please, don't tell those stupid jokes! I thought you had died!", she said as her eyes watered in fear.

"I'll stay alive for as long as I can. I want to enjoy you as much as possible..."

Why could he be so romantic when he was in such a pain? Could he be cuter?

Such were Star's thoughts as she patted Marco's wounds with a paper tissue and looked at him in the eye. She wanted to kiss him so badly...

" Let's get out of this truck and call for someone to tow it to the garage", he suggested.

"Oh yeah, you're right. Right. The monsters can come back any time...", Star stuttered, climbing out of the truck.

"Well, well, well... Star Butterfly again. Who else but her and his pretty boy to break havoc and curfew at the same time?"

"But..."

But Star could not say a word. The police was already arresting her and Marco, and placing handcuffs on her wrists while reciting her rights. 

****

Somewhere far away, a hand was toying with a golden pen. Someone was watching a set of CCTV screens, smiling in satisfaction.

"Excellent. Finally, our plan is coming to fruition", they said. 


	2. Why Did You Do It?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Here they come! "
> 
> The crowd was gathering in front of the police station staring at Star and Marco as they walked out the door. Marco had some plaster on his nose and two stitches on his lip. The curfew ticket was way higher than the previous one, but what could you expect? It was the third time they had broken it. "And there is no next ticket. One more infraction and you'll end up in jail", the officer warned.
> 
> Having to part ways with their hard-earned money was bad. Marco being hurt was worse. Bit what was about to start was the worst.
> 
> "Why did you do it? Why did you bring those filthy monsters?"
> 
> "Yeah, dude! You had to be with your chick, right? To dirt with the rest of the world!"
> 
> "Since you cleaved Mewni and Earth together, my house has been destroyed four times by giant monsters! You can be proud of yourselves, you love birds!"

It was the usual fare. Everybody complimented the couple with these comments or similar ones every time they set foot on the street. Humans could not forgive them for all the monsters they had brought to their world after the cleaving. Monsters meant trouble, and they had already a good heap of them before those strange critters wandered about and broke stuff around.

This time, Angie and Eclipsa were waiting for them in Marco's mother's broke-down car. The engine was panting with the idling, banging regularly as if it begged its owner for mercy. It wanted to be put to rest, and it wanted it badly.

"Yeah, run away! Too brave to join two worlds, but too coward to face the consequences!"

Why on corn were they so vicious? Mewmans had learnt to live with monsters--after a long time and many friction, but they had finally got peace and understanding. Why did they hate monsters so much?

Such were Star's thoughts as she sat in Angie's car. An empty drink can flew next to her ear and landed on the seat, but she did not notice. She cared about Marco, about his wounds, about Angie, about Eclipsa, about her mother.

"Your mother said she had to go. She can't be bothered with you two breaking the law one more time". 

Since humans had starting going on a rampage against monsters, Eclipsa had grown a little surly. Years of crystallization and being apart from her beloved Globgor had already been too painful. Star had helped her so much, and she had been grateful about it. But that was over. Star was living her life, and she had to defend her daughter and husband from those raging ranters on her own. 

Star wasn't paying much attention. She was patting Marco's shoulder from behind. Eclipsa sat next to her, on a full complaining swing. Angie drove. She just drove, silent and concentrated. 

Everybody wanted to go home, relax and forget about it. It would be a fine spring morning, and they could sunbathe in the backyard and forget about it all. As long as Rafael could have got some food cans and packets from anywhere. 

They arrived home. Angie parked, and before anyone jumped off the panting car, she gave them a grave look and said:

"Marco, Star, look. We can't go on like this. Marco could have died and we can't be paying for more curfew and traffic tickets. That bigfoot truck has been our ruin since the very beginning. If you love us and you love your sister, Marco, you'll get rid of that car. And Star, you'll look for an actual job or search for food or money somewhere else. We can't go on like this anymore. Is that clear? "

Marco was mortified, but not for his mother's speech. The pain on his body had got more intense, especially the one in his stomach. Could it be that taco Sensei gave him last night? But Star had had another taco, and she seemed alright... 

Star nodded, with her face looking at the tip of her shoes. She was used to be told off even after turning into an adult. What she could not stand was Marco's pain. She wanted to hold him, pat his head, remove his bike helmet, which was still on his head... 

"Good", said Angie. "Now let's get in and start the day".

The four of them jumped off the car and walked into their house. Eight people were living under a roof full of holes that had not been repaired since last month's riots. Monsters and humans threw stones at each other in their very street, breaking everything as they advanced like a plague ate up crops as they traveled. In a few minutes, their roof looked as a colander. At least breeze entered the house in hot days. Except for Rafael and Angie's room, which was next to the kitchen and warm as an oven. It could be worse.

At least Meteora and Mariposa were upstairs, in one of their hair makeover sessions. They laughed and talked happily, apparently oblivious to the conflict that was looming large in Mewni Creek. Those two were hand in glove. That made Eclipsa feel warm inside. Satisfied. Her daughter had a friend, and she would be alright.

"I'll help you out, Marco", said Star as they went to the bathroom. Star wanted to examine Marco and comfort him. She needed to cling to his shoulders and kiss hin gently on the back of his neck. That made him laugh, and she loved Marco's laughter. The day could not be spoiled for a stupid ticket. It could be mended. They could be happy. They deserved it. They belonged together...

...although it felt like a void sometimes. Something was missing in their lives. What was it?

"Marco, how are you feeling?", asked Star.

"Better than before. And you?"

"Marco... I..."

"It's OK, Star. My mum worries. It's natural, she's a mother. All the mothers worry a bit about us. See..."

"Marco... Do you wish we had done something differently?"

Marco looked puzzled and alarmed at Star. What did she mean with that!?

"Something!? Like what?"

"I mean... Monsters and Mewmans could live in harmony after some time. It's been five years since the cleaving, and things have only got worse and worse".

"Good things don't come easy, Star. Conflict will recede at some moment or another. People will learn. Monsters will learn. We have to if we want to live a life that's worth living".

"Oh, Marco... Why do you always have the right words?"

Star hugged Marco and leaned her head on his shoulder. He hugged her, feeling her warm body in his arms. It calmed him. It made his stomach pain much more bearable. And Star's hair smelled so good...

"I would be like this forever, Star".

She let love fill her heart. It was fuzzy, warm and tender. It was just her tonic. Marco... 

But Marco could not fill that dark well in her soul. A dark well of void and longing that was there, and nothing could fill up. 

Why?

Why on corn had she to feel it?

What was missing in her life...?

******

Later that day, in a hidden alley of Mewni Creek, a hand received a handful of banknotes while the other took a brown parcel tied with a string. The hand with the money rapidly stuck it in a secret pocket. Its owner moved swiftly and disappeared, jumping over a wall like a cat.

A black cat with a big head in a black hoodie. 

And a golden spark that glistened inside the hood. 


	3. Give Me My Stuff Back!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RING RING RIIIING!
> 
> "Who's there?" 
> 
> "It's me, your wife". 
> 
> No. Not again. Not now, he thought.
> 
> "Manfred, open the door"
> 
> "Mina, stop it. I've had it with you. Beat it already!"
> 
> "Manfred, open the door right now! If you don't do it, I'll bust down the door!"
> 
> It was the third time Mina had come back home to Manfred this way in the last month. Manfred and her had been happy together for a while, sharing their love and their hatred for monsters. The instability that the cleaving had brought about had fueled human rejection for monsters, and Mina saw a golden opportunity to rally against them. Her good ideas had to be spread and stay alive...
> 
> What a pity she became more invested in her anti-monster ideas than in Manfred. 
> 
> That's why, after a strong argument, she had moved out and left Manfred alone.
> 
> If only she had not forgotten so much stuff at his place... 
> 
> RING RING RING RING RIIIING!
> 
> What a pain in the neck, Manfred thought. Why can't she move on and leave me alone?
> 
> "Who's at the door?", he sighed
> 
> "Why are you asking, you idiot? You know it's me, Mina. And you know what I've come for".

Her fiery eyes had the resolute and determined look of the crazy old lady she had turned into. A look nobody would have cared for in other circumstances, but that nowadays, with all the words Mina had been spouting out about the monster menace and how every human had the moral obligation to chase those pests out of town, she had been gaining supporters all along. Sure she was not alone. How could she? Plus she was right, she had followers. Who cared about Manfred? To the heck with him.

However, he still had something she was missing...

"Look, Mina!", Manfred shouted. "You can take anything you want. You can take our pictures, you can take the cat, you can take our cooking pots, the cash, my TV set, my bike, my car..."

"Ha!", snorted Mina. "All those things are garbage. You know I've come back for one thing and only one thing". 

For corn's sake, it couldn't be possible... Manfred shivered in fear as he imagined what Mina was looking for.

"No".

"Yes", said Mina defiantly.

"DON'T. YOU. DARE. MINA! "

Manfred's voice was menacing but shaky. Nobody would have seen him as a threat, and even less in the greasy T-shirt and tattered shorts he wore while lounging at home. 

"I want my Love Sentence records back!"

"NO! OVER MY DEAD, COLD BODY!"

Manfred would never give those records away. He had been treasuring them long since the band released them. He was their greatest fan in all of Mewni. He would never part from his Love Sentence albums, let alone give then to Mina.

He ran to grab a chair and place it under the door knob. Now Mina could push and hurl all she wanted.

"Manfred! Those records are mine! GIVE THEM BACK TO ME!"

"NEVER!", yelled Manfred

RING RING RING RING RIIIING!

Oh no. Now there was someone else at the back door too? Well, at least it was some relief from Mina. The person there could help Manfred make her see she didn't deserve the tiniest bit of attention from him.

"WHO'S THERE!?"

"It's your neighbour next door"

Oh, that was nice. At last, a sane person he could speak to, even if only for a minute. 

"Yes... How can I help you?"

"Well, you don't have to know this, but I work as a security guard, and I work nights."

"Yes..."

"And I have to sleep in the morning"

"Yes..."

"SO PLEASE COULD YOU TWO STOP SHOUTING!? I'M TRYING TO SLEEP AND I CAN'T!"

No, Manfred thought. This is not possible. Why on corn have I ended up living this situation?

"AAAARGH!", shouted Manfred in utter desperation.

"MANFRED, I'M NOT TELLING YOU ONCE MORE! OPEN THE FREAKING DOOR OR I'LL SET IT ON FIRE!", Mina yelled at the peak of her voice, her two white-haired ponytails shaking as two whirlwinds as she pulled the door knob with all her might. 

"MINA, GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU'RE A CRAZY WOMAN, AND YOU'LL NEVER GET MY LOVE SENTENCE RECORDS!" Manfred yelled, rasping his throat in the process. 

He went to the kitchen to grab some water and his compact phone to call the police. They were overwhelmed with calls from enraged monster victims, and it could get a while after he could get a patrol to arrest Mina, but he would get nothing if he didn't call... 

Mina was hurling a garbage can on Manfred's door, trying at least to splinter it and leave it as damaged as possible. If she would go back home empty-handed, she would at least get even with such a disgusting little man. 

"Excuse me", the neighbour asked Mina, "I couldn't help noticing your voice and looks... Aren't you perhaps Mina Loveberry?" 

"Yes, that's me", she said, panting with the effort as she let the can fall from her hands. 

"The anti-monster activist? The one who's really voicing what humans think of those horrible moving menaces?" 

"Yes, that's what I think. Monsters don't belong in Mewni Creek! They destroy our homes, eat up food supplies and aren't willing to abide the law as humans do!" 

"NO WAY!", the neighbour shouted, excited with joy. "MINA LOVEBERRY! THE ONE AND ONLY! AAAH! I'M SO HAPPY TO MEET YOU! AT LEAST SOMEONE WHO CARES! AAAH! I ADORE YOUR JOB AND EVERYTHING YOU DO!" 

Manfred pulled his face skin down in despair and anger. 

"For corn's sake, these people are bonkers!" he screamed. "I'm moving out of here!" 

*****

Later that day, in the Diazes' house, a manilla envelope was slipped under a door. Eclipsa took it and opened it. Her face was filled with pleasure when she saw what she had been waiting for: a red sheet of paper with a fold on the upper right corner and four cuts on its lower edge. 

A code message from the Underground Network. 

My dear Globby and Meteora will be safe at last, she thought. But I have to tell it to Angie first... 


	4. Coming Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So you're moving to another place with your family...", Angie said, pitifully looking at Eclipsa's eyes.
> 
> "Yes, dear. I'm sorry that this may cause you any inconvenience, but you know, the times are getting rougher than usual. And I need to think about my family's safety", Eclipsa stated, stirring her tea with that calm confidence of hers. "Oh, sorry, how inconsiderate. Would you like some tea, Angie dear?"
> 
> Angie shook her head as she admired Eclipsa's poise and regal attitude. Despite all the suffering she had endured, especially during the last months, she preserved that stance, the serenity of a woman who knows her worth and knows she's going to overcome anything Life threw her way. Angie was mesmerized by the way Eclipsa left her teaspoon on the saucer, her graceful grip as she held her cup, the elegant way she had of pursing her lips as she sipped her tea... 
> 
> And by the way, how on Earth did she get it? There had been major shortages of all basic commodities, but she seemed to manage to get all sorts of luxuries, including tea , sugar and her all-time staple: Snookers chocolate bars.

Actually, she had unwrapped a pair to serve them on a plate. The same plate Eclipsa was holding in front of Angie's face.

"Are you sure you don't want one, dear?", Eclipsa asked with a melodious, yet slightly worried voice.

"Oh-- Sure, Eclipsa. Chocolate is not my thing, you know--", Angie stuttered. 

"But of course", Eclipsa realized, placing the plate on the side table. "Look, Angie: long story short, my family and me are not only in danger. We have the feeling that we are too much of a hassle for you and Rafael."

Really? Angie though. Her pupils shook and glistened in shock as she heard Eclipsa giving her the bad news.

"I know Mariposa and Meteora are very good friends and they cause no problem at home, the two little dearies.", Eclipsa continued. "Star and Marco do what they can to contribute to our home, but being two young adults in love, it's normal they want to do their way. They'll move out as well sooner or later, and maybe our departure will set the idea in their minds..."

Eclipsa had to stop and breathe for a while, since her voice was starting to shake in sadness. Angie had been like a sister to her, never complaining about Globgor's shapeshifting and all the monster-hating hordes that pestered them since everybody had learnt about the place where they were living.

"Eclipsa,", Angie intervened, "Star and Marco are not a problem for us. They get in trouble with the police, but I understand their predicament. Rafael and me had also to put up with lots of prejudice and mean comments when we started dating."

"Yes, I know how it goes". Now, Eclipsa had tilted her head sideways, as she always did when she became thoughtful. Maybe a tinge of emotion was starting to show, and Eclipsa was losing her temper? Angie could never know. Maybe Eclipsa was trying to regain her composture. Even after five years away from the throne of Mewni, she still clung to her royal demeanor in anything she did. But who could blame her? This queen behaviour was part of Eclipsa's personality, and a trait of all Butterflies, no matter how removed from the royal line they were.

"We're all too happy to have you, Globgor and Meteora under our roof, no matter how filled with holes it may be", Angie said, tending a hand towards Eclipsa, all caring and understanding. "Said that, if you consider the best option for you is moving to another place, I'll accept it and wish you the best".

How sweet, Eclipsa thought. "Thanks, Angie. You can't imagine how hard had Globby and me been thinking about the best words to announce you our decision. Now we'll have to tell Meteora..."

But little did Eclipsa know that Meteora already knew. She had been sitting on the banister, with her legs hanging loose, looking into the lounge and listening to the whole conversation. 

"Meteora, did you see--", Mariposa asked, going down the stairs.

"Shhh", Meteora whispered. "Keep your voice down."

Meteora patted the stair next to her to indicate her friend to sit down an listen up by her side. She did not want to utter a word. She couldn't. Mariposa and her had been supporting each other, and she was great fun. Now it all was going to change. When would they meet again?

Mariposa sat down quietly and stuck her legs out the banister, just as her friend was doing. The two of them focused on her two mothers, who continued their conversation, oblivious of the two pairs of ears that were listening to everything they said. Even Meteora had a small tear on one of her eyes' corner. She felt it, but she didn not want her friend to worry. Plus, crying out loud would make grown-ups discover their watch post, and she did not want to be told off. Not now. Not for that reason.

"You know, Eclipsa? I wish things had been a lot different between your family and ours. Because it all would be much easier for us right now", Angie said, sweetly but gravely.

"What are you talking about, Angie?"

Eclipsa stared at her host and friend's face in puzzlement. She had been sensing a warm wave that connected her to Angie since the very start of this conversation, but she had remained focused on telling her the news. Now she was trying to reveal her something, but what could it possibly be?

"Didn't you know about it, Eclipsa? Didn't your mother, or anyone in palace tell you? Of course not. You wouldn't look so flabbergasted right now otherwise".

Eclipsa and Angie were now looking into each other's eyes. The light was fading away as the Sun was setting outside, giving the lounge walls a rosy tint that was filtered through the thin curtains.

"What should I know, Angie? Is there any secret you need to tell me?"

A secret?, Angie thought. Many secrets. Way too many secrets. One could not help having them when they were descendants of the same person. Of the person on the portrait on Marco's bedroom, for exactlier.

"Do you remember your father Alphonse, Eclipsa?"

Mariposa and Meteora held their hands tightly. They had heard some random comments about the picture on Marco's bedroom, but they had always taken them as part of a legend, a bedtime story to pleasantly lull about when sleep was wandering around them. Was it true after all? Did it have anything to do with them? And most importantly: would they ever meet again?

"Uh... Not much, actually. He died during an expedition to an unknown dimension. Hekapoo brought his cap and notes home when they returned. But I was a little girl by that time. Why are you talking to me about him, Angie?"

Because I think you must learn the truth, Eclipsa, Angie kept on musing in her head. I know it's hard to find the right words to tell you the truth I've been knowing all my life, but soon your family and you will be gone for good. You must know why I opened my house's door to you, Globgor and Meteora. The same reason Rafael and me agreed to host Star so many years ago. The same reason I felt over the moon when I perceived my son Marco and Star were like a house on fire. Yes, Star could be dangerous at times, with all her impulsive, reckless reactions. I had feared for Marco's life at times, and he had broken my heart when he decided to move to Mewni. But I know sometimes you make crazy decisions out of love. And Star and Marco's love could reunite the Butterfly lines for good. Yes, it was a pity for Tom, that cute half-monster boyfriend of Star's, but the greater good of Mewni and Earth was at stake. And I want my family to be back with the people with whom we belong...

"ANGIE! ECLIPSA! COME UP RIGHT NOW!", Star yelled from the top of the staircase, jumping down the steps as far a she could.

"Uh-oh-- What's the matter, Star?", Angie and Eclipsa blurted, springing up from their armchairs in worry.

Meteora and Mariposa also jumped up from the banister, rushing to the upper floor to avoid being discovered and to find out the origin of those muffled pain cries.

"MARCO IS LYING ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR! HE'S CURLING IN PAIN! HE WON'T MOVE! WE NEED AN AMBULANCE! QUICK!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had a much darker tone, with Angie acting as Eclipsa's enemy and a plotter for the throne of Mewni. I slept on it, and I thought that a friendly Angie serves much better for the type of story I want to tell. Plus, there's already plenty of angst to go around in my plotlines.  
> For these reasons, I've changed the tone of this chapter. The original version will appear as bonus material once the series is finished.  
> Thanks for your understanding and your support! Hope you're enjoying my fanfic!  
> Stay tuned for more Mewni Creek and Underground adventures, and leave your much appreciated suggestions if you feel like it!


	5. Emergency!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A soft sea breeze was blowing at the top of a crane. A perfect watch spot, and a secure one for that matter. The right place to relax after a hectic day of jumping walls, delivering parcels and receiving payments. Heck, counting the day's earnings could be a nice thing to do right now. 
> 
> But the guy in a black hoodie who sat on the crane metal bars gave it a second thought. He'd have to count much more money at home, and arrange next day's deliveries and transfers of goods and people. An underground smuggling network wasn't an easy thing to maintain, and these chilling moments were going scarcer as time went by. Moreover, today's sunset was a glorious one. Yes, I deserve some me-time, the hooded guy thought. Let's leave concerns for later.
> 
> He stretched his arms out to lie down and enjoy the dusk and the quiet when an ambulance siren startled him. Ambulances were coming and going all day long, with all the accidents and turmoil happening in Mewni Creek, but he had the hunch that the one speeding up Hospital Avenue had to be looked out for. Especially after the people collecting that was appointed at the back of the hospital for two hours later...

The siren blared as the ambulance ran around and over all kinds of objects that had fallen on the road the week before. Random people crossed the road at the most unexpected places and many cars lacked lights, which made the ambulance driver's rush be more a menace to the patient's life than an effort to keep him out of harm's way. But hey, this patient was already wiggling and screaming in pain. And the paramedics had been issued a "special transport" order, which meant they'd better drive him to hospital soon, no matter what. Besides, if the young lady that was holding his hand had an accident on the way to the hospital, she would be in the right place to sort that out. 

The "special transport" patient was no other than Marco. He was clenching his stomach, livid with sweat beads on his forehead and with a frightening grimace on his face. He was not wearing his bike helmet, and the stretcher was not securely fastened to the ambulance. But nobody cared. The black blot on his stomach had a menacing look, and Marco was sweating like a roasted chicken. Besides, he was shivering and mumbing inconsistencies, unaware of what was going on around him and of Star's hand clasping his.

The five minute drive felt like five long years. It did not matter to Star. Marco was already in a safe place, and his wound would be well taken care of. At least, as well as a poorly-equipped hospital with power failures and an overcrowded waiting room could manage.

But nothing mattered. Marco had arrived to the Mewni Creek hospital, and he was already on his way to the emergency box, and Star had been holding his hand all the way. He would get better. He had to get better. If only he had her magic to get rid of Marco's misery... Because the rash on his stomach looked like corrupted magic. Although it was impossible, Star thought. Magic had been completely wiped out from existence. Magic was the source of all evils and was disposed of accordingly, so it had to be something else. Now they would know.

"Male, 20 years old; stomach cramps, delirious fever and unconsciousness", the paramedics screamed as they flew across the hospital corridor.

Eclipsa and Star followed the paramedics as they ran, but they could not keep with their pace. The plastic curtains closed into the medical team as they entered the emergency zone, shortly before a nurse came to them and showed them the way to the waiting room.

"You're not allowed to be in the emergency room. You must wait for your names to be announced before you can see the patient".

Star grumbled in frustration, but there was nothing she could do. She would have to sit in that overheated room full of people in pain for hours on end, not knowing what had happened to Marco. 

She let herself fall onto the rigid plastic seat, stretching her arms and legs out and staring at the grey ceiling in despair. Eclipsa sat down next to Star, stroking her shoulder and handing her a Snookers bar.

"Would you like some, dear? The waiting can be a bit long, we never know when will we have our next meal", Eclipsa said, trying to sound comforting.

"Do tell me", a raspy voice said from the seat behind them. "It has been days since my last meal. At least my daughter is as well fed as it gets."

The voice belonged to a woman in a baggy sweatsuit with a baby sleeping in a battered pushchair. She did not look as if she had any ailment or reason to be sitting in that dismal place. Maybe she had come for a ration of therapeutic food bars. Sometimes the medical centers in Mewni Creek gave them away, although they had been spacing out these acts of generosity for lack of supplies. 

"Here", Eclipsa said. "Take my chocolate bar".

She handed the lady her precious Snookers, the last in her personal stash. 

The lady snatched it as if it were a bar of gold and chomped it out greedliy. She said nothing, but the glimmer in her eyes was unmistakably one of gratitude.

No sweat, Eclipsa thought. Soon I'll have access to more Snookers bars than I can handle. Something must be done with these starving people, too. She'd have to think about what could be done, though...

Angie, Rafael and Mariposa entered the waiting room, with Marco's father being the very image of fatherly worry.

" _¿Dónde está mi hijo? ¿Qué le hicieron a mi chamaco?_ ", Rafael shook as he begged for an explanation to everybody and no one in particular. 

"Hush, Rafael, _no pasa nada. Está con los doctores_ , he'll be fine". Angie's bilingual soothing comforted him and the rest of the waiting party. However, Rafael was shaking in distress, so his wife took him in her arms and patted his back to reassure him. 

Mariposa sat down in silence, staring into the void. She was concerned about her beloved brother, but also about Meteora. Globgor and her had disappeared without a trace. She hadn't touched her stuff though. Meteora could be back for it any time, and that helped Mariposa regain his cool. They were a pair of smart cookies, as Eclipsa used to say. They'd find a way. They always did.

"Marco Diaz's family?", a nurse called out.

"Wow, that was fast!", Star blurted out as she stood up, lifting her limbs in a tangled mess that rearranged as she recovered her body's verticality.

"Come with me. The doctor will see you now".

Everybody stood up and followed the tiny nurse as he swiftly walked down the corridor and showed them a hot, dark and damp office with all sorts of papers cluttering its shelves.

The Diazes and Butterflies went in as the nurse slipped out of the office, trying to sneak out of the emergency room in search for a wonderful hot malt cup. Coffee had been discontinued months ago, but hey, roasted malt was a fairly decent substitute, and a great excuse to have a break, too. One couldn't complain.

"There are some bad news, I'm afraid", the doctor said from behind the desk, removing his glasses but not lifting his eyes from Marco's report.

Everybody's faces but the doctor's went pale with fear. How grave was Marco's disease? What was it?

"The patient has been taken to the ICU", the doctor continued. "That inkblot on his stomach looks terrible, and the MRIs don't look very pleasant either. We'll need to make a biopsy to determine what are we fighting, but no worries. Marco will be taken good care of in this hospital..."

The doctor went on with his medical blabber, but no one listened. "ICU"? "MRIs"? "Biopsy"? Star had never heard those terms before, but they sounded like bad news.

She had to find Marco. She had to be with him. It would be no big deal, would it?

"Can we go out, doctor?", Eclipsa asked suddendly in a curt tone. "There're too many people in the room already, and I need a bit of fresh air"

"Sure, why not, ma'am", the doctor said nonchalantly, as he continued pouring medical jargon into the stammered Diazes' ears.

Star did not understand what was going on. Eclipsa's eyes met hers as she pulled Star out of the crammed office.

"What's the matter, Eclipsa? What's going on with Marco? And why are you taking me out of the office? Aren't you interested in what the doc is saying?"

"I am, Star, I really wish I could do more for Marco", Eclipsa admitted meekly. "But hear me out: I need to go out of the hospital right now, and I need you to find out where are they keeping Marco".

"Keeping? Why, Eclipsa, do you think there's anything wrong with Marco?". Star's lips wrung in tension. What was that thing Eclipsa knew? She was eager to know.

"Look, dear: that doctor looks suspicious to me. His eyes look sharp, and there were... how to describe them?... Scales on his hands."

"Scales? Like those of a reptile?"

"Yes. Don't believe me if you don't want to, but he may be a Septarian, or one of his allies".

Alright. Now things were getting a bit too over the top, Star thought. She could handle police tickets, being told off, having to make do with scarce supplies, being separated from a sick Marco... But these conspiranoid theories were a bit more than she could chew.

"Eclipsa. Please. Septarians were wiped out when we destroyed magic. His entire race was wiped out of the multiverse. Give me any reason for what's going on but this one".

"Yes, Star, it sounds a bit too farfetched, but it may possibly be the case. Marco has been hurting on the same place where the dark unicorn stabbed him in the magic dimension. Nothing had happened to him in five years, and now, there you go, an infection or something similar. Besides, did you notice how quick did they give us an answer? How cold and heartless was the doctor when speaking to us?"

"Eclipsa, doctors are overwhelmed with work. He can't be nice and pleasant to all patients, even if he wanted to...". Star was losing her patience...

...but at the same time, a suspicious feeling was growing at the back of her mind.

What if this illness was related to a plot against Marco? They had plenty of haters in Mewni Creek. Maybe the perpetrators weren't Septarians, but Mina Loveberry's minions. They had been particularly active these last weeks. Maybe they were trying to poison his beloved Marco?

"I'm just warning you, Star", Eclipsa stated. "Now I need to sort an urgent matter out, and I'll be out of town for a long while. Sorry for telling you like this, but it has to do with the Underground Network. I can't explain you much about it, but I'll send news your way once Meteora, Globgor and me are safely installed. Do find out about Marco. And please, take good care of yourself, dear. I love you".

Eclipsa hugged Star before she disappeared into the hospital corridor.

Now that was a good one. Septarians, a potential poisoning, and an Underground Network she had never head before. Eclipsa was definitely losing her marbles.

But... what if she was right?

What if she located Marco and tried to find out the truth?

She'd have to think fast. And act faster.

She'd better start right now.


	6. Gotcha!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK, Star thought. Marco is at the ICU. I don't know what it is, but sounds like a part of the hospital. That means I'll have to start searching at some place within it... But which one? This place is so massive, and there's a lot of people coming and going, and many areas are closed to the public, and I wish I had magic to go invisible or freeze people on my way... 
> 
> That was the very moment Star collapsed. She had gone to the backyard to get some fresh air, so a wall of rusty empty oxygen bottles, the plastic barrel where she was sitting, a huge trash container and a tool shed were their sole companions. Nobody would see her crying and pulling her bangs.
> 
> Marco, my love... Where can you possibly be? Why has happened this to us? Why now? Why do I get no answers anywhere?
> 
> "I sell green gnomes". 
> 
> Wait... Who on corn said that?

Star raised her head and looked in every direction, trying not to draw attention to her presence. It was difficult to determine who or what was moving in the dim, flaking light of a defective street light, but that was actually a good thing. She could slip away towards the hospital entrance unnoticed, provided she moved fast and silently. 

With a cold sweat starting to seep from the back of her neck, Star stood up slowly, trying not to make any sound... To no avail, because the plastic barrel gave out a huge "POP!" as her body lost contact with its surface.

"Who's there!?", a female voice whispered in alarm.

"Green, take them to the entrance. I'll sort this out myself", a male voice hasted a group of people.

These words and the rush of people going through a hidden door were coming from behind the shed. Star froze in fear, opening her eyes wide and letting out a faint gasp. Had they discovered her? Who was minding their business at such a dark space? Were they dangerous? Did they have anything to do with Marco?

She had no time to keep on wondering about these facts. Some steps were approaching her, and a tall, thin figure in a black hoodie appeared in the middle of the backyard. A gold streak glistened and a roguish smile, complete with a tiny white fang, could be glimpsed into the hood, along with a reddish goatee on a pinkish chin. Star was paralyzed, shaking. Her jaw shivered as she stared to the stranger that was coming her way.

She did not know where did she get the energy to act from, but she had no choice. She hurled herself towards the approaching person, ready to smack them with her arms or kick them in the groin. Plus with that huge head, knocking them down would be piece of cake.

"What the...?"

Star could not help but shout in complete shock. Where had that force field come from? Because she had crashed onto a thick energy wall that had appeared out of the blue.

Star collapsed on the ground like a sack of potatoes. Her bones hurt as if a truck had rolled over her, and the dirt she raised from the floor blocked her vision a little more. She tried to pull herself up, but her eyes ached and she felt pain all over her body. Her head was spinning round, and she could smell and feel blood somewhere on the back of her arms or legs...

But suddenly, these sensations were replaced by three strong, bulky hands and a slimey tentacle that threatened to rip her limbs apart as they tried to escape with her. 

"You're not going anywhere, little Miss", a deep breathy voice whispered in her ear from behind. "You're coming with us, you want it or not".

Star was completely frightened. The voice sounded all too familiar, but guttural enough to paralyze her. She wanted to scream and kick, but some kind of magnetic field muffled her voice and did not let her move. She had become a puppet, stiff and lifeless despite being totally conscious of what was happening. Besides, her body was hurting more and more, both from the impact she had received before and from the pressure that was squeezing her arms, thighs and calves. The pain was unbearable, intense, increasingly crushing. Star wanted to do something, but the impossibility made her implode and cry.

It's over, Star thought. Someone has kidnapped me. Sorry, Marco. I tried to get you. I really tried.

Just when the pain was more unbearable, the three hands set her free, only to allow the tentacle to slither over Star and crush her strongly. She felt strangled, unable to breath. The pain grew to a new peak until that disgustingly viscous thing that had crushed her tied Star's ankle and slammed her on the floor. 

She could think no more. She fainted and lost her senses shortly after seeing a strong flare surrounding her, hearing a few thuds and feeling her body falling on a wide shoulder.

The guy in the black hoodie took Star to a safe place. Three huge monsters with breathy voices and a scaly shine on their skin and a smallish antropoid figure with a huge, wiggly slug-like arm that emitted hissing noises had snatched her and wanted to make her disappear, but the guy had lashed them with a fire whip, pushing them hard onto the oxygen bottles and throwing them an additional ball of fire.

This is going to explode, the guy thought. Let's get out of here. 

With a swift jump, he and an unconscious Star entered the shed just before closing the door. The three monsters and the trash yard went up in flames, bursting into a huge explosion that made the hospital tremble. 


	7. Alone at last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You thought you'd never see me again? How endearing. Didn't I tell you that you would never get rid of me?" 
> 
> That spectral voice... That piercing chill that ascended his spine... That ensnaring sensation that made him surrender his will and become someone more daring, more resolute, more ruthless... 
> 
> "Of course not, you filthy thing", Marco said. "We may be trapped together, but I'll fight you with all my might. I'd rather die than have you lurking inside my soul".
> 
> It may have been the damp stench that filled the room. It may have been the complete darkness, or the metallic rash on Marco's ankles and left wrist. It may have been the painful black blot that had covered his entire stomach and threatened his chest and back. It may have been the ominous presence of that disgusting creature that was possessing him and turning him into a monster. But felt daring. Voluptuous. Invincible. He would fight and win, no matter which cause. Marco Díaz will rise in victory.
> 
> "Oh, so you're ready to die? Well, that's nice to know. I'll feel less remorse when I obliterate your entire personality and turn you against the woman you love. Oh, wait- I have already made you crush her bones!".

The monster arm laughed and wiggled frantically. Marco's cold sweat dug a deeper ravine in his nerves as he shook in yet another convulsion. The metal claws of the shackles ripped his skin into meaty rashes. His eyes turned white, he screamed and he fainted, painting in a terror that only he could describe.

"Excellent!", a wide-framed figure exclaimed in satisfaction as it toyed with a pen, watching a CCTV screen that was showing everything that happened on Marco's cell.

"So that means it's OK that the Butterfly girl has escaped, Boss?", a shirtless antropoid lizard with a khaki green skin and gray pants asked to the person in command.

"You know what, Rusticore? You're a pain in the neck. No wonder Toffee never paid any real attention to you", his Boss snapped.

"But--"

"ENOUGH!", he continued. "Seth of Septarsis has not faked his death during centuries to let a single mistake ruin his plans! Get out of my way. You're a walking disgrace!"

Rusticore bowed meekly as he moved backwards, until he reached the control room door and skulked away. 

"I think it's high time I paid my guest a visit in his quarters", Seth said, turning the TV screens off and grabbing an object that resembled a gold-plated riding whip.

Seth of Septarsis, the scourge of the Butterfly Kingdom, had come back large and in charge. His towering 8 feet, his bulky torso covered with light brown scales, his yellow alligator smile, his icy reptile eyes, his white self-styled pompadour combined with a cropped nape, his armour pants, his shoulder pads with skulls that belonged to soldiers and members of the Butterfly clan... There could be no mistake. The general-in-chief had come back after centuries of suspended animation, ready to destroy that Butterfly scum and make monsters reign supreme. And Marco Díaz was his queen in the game of chess he was ready to play. 

Seth went down to the Septarsis headquarters dungeons, a myriad of corridors in a structure that resembled a rusty power substation from the outside and the wreck of a derelict submarine from the inside. A dense silence invaded that industrial nightmare, only broken by the sound of a greasy leak that oozed from the ceiling pipes and the screech of dim fluorescent lights that were not enough to light up the place. 

He stopped at the door 101 and knocked on the smudged panel that was the door. It was all just to wake Marco up. He already had opened the door with the pupil recognition system, so his call was just a way to have his prisoner awake and ready for a quiet chat. 

Marco lied on the ground, a human rag doll of himself. Well, a half-human doll, since his monster arm was crawling on his body, sniffing for any kind of food or emotion he could munch. 

"Well, well, well... What an honor, Mr Díaz. It was a bit rude to extract you in this way from your girlfriend's arms, but I was afraid you would not respond to an invitation". 

Marco did not move. He did not speak. He did not seem to listen. Only his monster arm raised and trembled in joy, bowing to greet Seth, his General.

"He's all under your control, Master. He will oppose no resistance", he cackled in a crazy burst of evil joy. 

"SHUT UP!", Seth ordered. "It's not you I want to talk to, you fool! Wake him up already!" 

The monster arm slapped Marco awake and pulled his hair before it shrunk back to a normal human size. 

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty", Seth sneered. "How do you like your bedroom? I think it suits a person of your rank". 

Marco directed a menacing look and grimace to the Septarian, but he only managed to look devastated with his parted lip, dark dribble, void eyes and crackled voice. 

"What do you want from me?", Marco uttered. 

"To finish what you started."

"I don't know what you're talking about". This lizard dude is totally cuckoo. When did I promise this filth anything?, Marco thought.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME FILTH AGAIN, YOU LOUSY MEWMAN!", Seth yelled. "I CAN READ YOUR MIND! HOW ON EARTH DON'T YOU REMEMBER IT!? SHOW SOME RESPECT, YOU WIMP!"

Seth whacked the rigid end of the whip handle, making its tail wrap around Marco's neck and strangle him.

"O-- OK", Marco muttered.

"Toffee said you were a disappointment, and he was right.That's why he manipulated your sugarpie into giving you a monster arm, so it could destroy her and all Mewmans on sight. When you fell for her like a blabbering jerk, we persuaded her into believing magic is the source of all evil. And the gullible thing believed the whole story. Ain't she sweet, your shining Star?"

Really? , Marco thought in amazement.

"Really. She was putty in Septarian hands, just as all her kin. Even that hothead of Solaria was toeing our line all the time. Just as you're going to do from this moment on. Because monsters shall recover Mewni, or Mewni Creek, for that matter. And we will govern them all, for we know what is best for them".

Right. So I have no choice, Marco thought in surrender. 

Seth's strangling device loosened, and Marco's head tilted towards the ground, as a thick black dribble stained his T-shirt and his eyelids closed heavily as dam gates.

"Exactly. Let your monster instincts drive you. They know the way to power. To YOUR power, Marco Díaz. You're in our hands. You have no choice". 


	8. Welcome back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Good morning, Butterfly. Did you sleep well?"
> 
> "Huh...?"
> 
> Star's sore eyes opened very slowly to the blurry vision of a big head with a puffy blonde bob and a water green highlight. A pair of wide blue eyes were looking at her, and a smiley freckled face gradually became more nitid.
> 
> "Jackie...? Jackie Lynn Thomas?"
> 
> "That's me. How are you feeling right now?"
> 
> That was a good question. The first and most intense sensation in Star's body was pain: a muffled, tingling throb that sprung from her right shoulder and spread in regular pangs all over her bones and muscles. Moving and changing position was a downright torture. A bitter pasty taste filled her dry mouth, and her head ached as if a gang of mobsters were using her brain as a punching ball. Not to mention that smell of plaster that came from somewhere in her bed and the discomfort of not being able to move her right arm or to scratch that part of her body.
> 
> "Hmmm... Happy to be alive... I guess?", Star muttered, trying to incorporate in bed and changing her mind due to her unbending arm and the pangs she felt everywhere and nowhere in particular.

"Take it easy, girl. You've got a broken bone and bruises all over your body. Heck, you were beaten hard!"

"Right..." Star's confusion was growing bigger by the second. "Jackie... do tell me... where am I? Why are you here with me?"

"You're in a safe place, Butterfly. Tom Lucitor found you at the back of the hospital and ripped you out of Septarian hands".

Tom!? Jackie!? OK, enough is enough, Star thought in an increasing fit of rage. First Marco, then Eclipsa, a gang of mysterious thugs attacking me later and now Tom and Jackie coming from out of space after five years of no contact. Someone please tell me this isn't a bad joke!

Star's face flustered as her eyes filled with tears of anger. She started sobbing, unable to pronounce a single word.

"Hey, Star, that's OK! You escaped a kidnapping, and you've been beaten hard, and the next thing you know is you are at the Underground Kingdom," Jackie comforted Star, holding her left hand and stroking it gently. "You have all the right to be upset. But trust me: at this moment, this is the best place you can be in. We rescued you, and we're all happy to have you back. We really are".

Star looked at Jackie, and her fury came to a halt. She used to be jealous of her for a long time, and she had tried to avoid her at all costs, but now her smile and chilled out attitude soothed her. Plus the room was dark and warm, with only a large orange lava lamp (or something very similar) lighting her surroundings. Her bed was cozy, and there was a familiar feeling to it. Yes, she would be more comfortable if she did not have a drip over her head and an IV attached to her left arm, but she perceived friendly vibrations all around her. She could use some rest right now. She'd better leave the hustle for another time.

"Look, girl, a nurse has put some anaesthetic and a serum bottle in your drip", Jackie indicated, pointing to the transparent bags that were connected to Star's vein with a plastic tube. "If you need something, just press the red button on the control at your left. I must be off, and Tom will be busy until this evening, but he's coming to check on you once he finishes today's duties. Man, was he happy to have stumbled upon you!"

Was he?, Star thought. After not having called or texted each other for years? Why, I would be mad at him if I were in his place! Plus I thought he didn't want to do anything with Marco or me! He vanished into thin air shortly after the Cleaving! He could have been dead, for all I've known!

"Relax and sleep, OK?", Jackie asked calmly. "And Star... I'm so excited to have you here!"

Jackie stood up and walked out the door, closing it on her way. 

A faint hum came out of the lava lamp, which was actually made of lava, but was not meant for illumination. It was a small cascade that flowed from a skull with horns into a puddle. It suspiciously resembled that in Tom's bedroom, and so did a platform that towered in front of her with a wardrobe and a set of large mirrors underneath, and a table that she could see from the corner of her eye that looked pretty much like Tom's ping pong table. The shelves full of boxes and papers, the vanity table with hair gel jars, the bookcase with Tom's reads, the TV set, the Love Sentence posters...

"So Jackie's right!", Star exclaimed to herself. "This is Tom's bedroom! I'm in the Underworld!"

Star's sudden realization piled up onto the succession of weird events that had been happening that day. It was already too much. Marco had got sick and had been taken to hospital. Eclipsa had disappeared and requested her to find Marco. A bunch of gangsters, or people of their like, had assaulted her. A stranger- well, Tom- had taken her away, cured her wounds and put her on his bedroom. And Tom was going to see her later...

Star's world was tumbling down at the speed of light, and she had not been able to process anything that had happened so far. One moment she was driving joyfully with Marco, caressing him and defending each other from monsters, and another they were apart, her ex had taken her to his kingdom and her family was disintegrating. Were Meteora and Mariposa OK? Did Angie and Rafael know anything about Marco? Who was that creepy doctor at the hospital? Was it an octopus tentacle what had tried to pull her limbs apart? What were Tom's intentions? Why did Jackie say "the Underground Kingdom", and not "the Underworld"?

Star began to cry. Her headache was unbearable, but she could not hold much longer. She missed Marco, and she wanted answers. She needed firm land to tread on. She needed a plan, she needed help, she needed to fill the void in her chest, which had moved from its centre to the front and made her breathing an agony.

"Marco... Marco... Where are you?", Star sobbed in anguish.

The dark walls and the orange lava glow gave her no reply. However, the room was warm like a motherly womb, Star's tears were washing away her stress and she was positively exhausted. Sleep fell upon her and took her to an unconscious, balmy territory where she thought nothing, felt nothing and remembered nothing. Star fell asleep and felt in peace. At last.

****************************

"...She's been sleeping for three days, Tom. She just woke up this morning, and has been resting all day- hey, she's woken up! Hi, Star! Look whos' here!"

"Huh...?"

When Star opened her eyes, a round green face with a lovely grin, two small wings poking from its sides and a nurse hairband, and three ruby eyes that matched a glowing smile with a tiny white fang were observing her. Joy breathed with ease through the whole of the two people, and one of them was gently stroking the back of Star's left hand.

"Star! Long time no see! It's a pleasure having you back here- although I wish our reunion hadn't been so rough!", Tom said cheerfully.

"Tom?... Why am I here in your bedroom?...", Star mumbled. "And who's next to you?... Is that you, Jackie?"

"Jackie!? No, Star! It's me, Katrina! I've missed you lots!"

"Katrina!", Star exclaimed. "Where have you been all this time? Wow, you've grown into a proper young lady!"

"A proper nurse, would you say", Katrina corrected her. "When the conflict between monsters and humans started on Mewni Creek, the Lucitors offered my dad a job as spy and me and my siblings schooling and an education. Tom's parents granted me a scholarship to train as a nurse and... Ta-daa! I manage the Health Division of the Underground Network!"

"The... Excuse me, what's the Underground whatitsname?". Star had heard Eclipsa mentioning that, she was sure. But why was Katrina part of it? And Eclipsa? How had she learnt about it? More questions already?

Star looked at Tom completely puzzled. What can you explain me about all this, Tom?, she asked him with her stare.

"Oh, Star-", Tom blurted. "There're so many things you need to know about the Kindgom! Major changes have taken place around here, and we've got plenty to catch up with. I have many duties these days myself, Star. But let's not rush- you'll have to be here until you recover, so we can put you in the picture and answer all your questions--"

"Like where am I and why did you take me here?", Star snapped, piercing Tom with an angry look.

"Uh- yeah, like those two", Tom blushed.

"Hey, Star!", Katrina scolded. "Tom saved your life! Yes, he may have taken you to her bedroom, and you have all the right to be mad about what has happened to you. But Tom rescued you from the Septarians. His intentions have been good all along".

Tom's smile and wide trembling eyes pleaded on Star to be kind to him. I can't be angry with such a sweet man, Star thought. Because wow! Tom is a real man now! He has changed a lot in these five years!

And yes, Tom had always been tall and sinewy, but the boyish features Star had always known had given way to a manly demeanor. He had become more brawny, his height was now a towering 6 feet 10 and he had grown a neat goatee that highlighted his mature expression. He still applied eyeliner as he did in the old times, but his pointy hairstyle had been abandoned in favor of a small high tail that looked like the one he used to wear when he donned his armor. His eyes glistened as three quiet crimson lakes with specks of gold that sprung from the depths of his soul. His horns were as usual, but now a myriad of fine gold streaks had drawn a shiny mesh on them. But gold was not only on his horns: a subtle golden hue covered his purple skin, giving him an otherworldly but pleasant appearance. His smile was calm and welcoming, and there was no trace of his former fits of rage. He had the gravity of a commander and the allure of a gentleman. It was impossible not to notice him when he was in the room.

As it was impossible for Star to take her eyes out of him. 

"Star!! Tom!! ", Katrina shouted. "Can you please say goodbye as I'm leaving?"

None of them had been paying attention to Katrina. They had been examining the changes their bodies and expressions had undergone so far, and their observation was so attentive that they had not noticed that Katrina had announced that she had to continue with her guard. 

"Uh-oh-ehm... Sure, sure, Katrina. How rude. So embarrassing...", Tom muttered. 

"Right...", Katrina replied with an ironic smile on her face. "See you later, you two". 

"Er... Bye, Katrina!", Star blurted. 

The door closed on Katrina's way out, leaving Star and Tom alone and looking into each other's eyes. 

"Star Butterfly..." 

"Thomas Lucitor..." 

"I still can't believe you're here, Star.", he said while stroking Star's hand. "Sorry if I hurt you or made you feel uncomfortable. It was never my intention to do so, but please understand me: I could not leave you with the Septarians. They have been deep trouble lately, and I could never leave a friend in their dirty paws."

"Thank you, Tom. It was so kind of you. Sorry if I've been rude to you". 

"You don't need to explain yourself", Tom said, placing a finger on Star's lips. "Your whole life has turned upside down, and you've suffered an aggression. You must recover and process it all. Just be patient with yourself and heal, OK? If you want to go once you've recovered, you'll do it. Meanwhile, you can stay in the Lucitor Castle. I'll see that you get everything you need at all times. "

Tom, Star thought, how can you be so sweet? 

"So... Did you know that I've been traveling around the world?", Tom asked. 

"Really?", Star replied with excitement. 

"Do you want to listen to my story?" 


End file.
